Prunus serotina
Black Cherry
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Black Cherry is a medium-large, wildlife-friendly, flowering shade tree. White flowers bloom in May, followed by small, edible berries. The fruit...
Description:
Black Cherry is a medium-large, wildlife-friendly, flowering shade tree. White flowers bloom in May, followed by small, edible berries. The fruit changes from red to black as it ripens in August-September. It is used for making wine and jelly. Fall foliage is yellow-red. Black Cherry offers much value for birds, butterflies, bees, and wildlife. It is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), New England Buckmoth (Hemileuca lucina), Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), Columbia Silkmoth (Hyalophora columbia), Cherry Gall Azure (Celastrina serotina), Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea), Small-eyed Sphinx Moth (Paonias myops), Wild Cherry Sphinx Moth (Sphinx drupiferarum), Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris), and Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta). Use Black Cherry as a specimen tree or shade tree in your yard.
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Tree
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Late Spring to Early Summer
Bloom Colors: White
Deer Resistance: None
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Medium
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 50 - 60 ft
Spread: 50 - 60 ft
Growth Rate: Fast